The Blind Date
by McBrideReedusLover
Summary: Carol Peletier, a widow, has a two year old daughter Sophia. She's single, and she's happy that way. But her best friend Lori thinks otherwise, and sets her up on a blind date with a man named Daryl Dixon. Will they hit it off, or will it be a total bust? Caryl AU. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**The Blind Date**

_**A/N: I keep getting ideas for fanfics. Seriously. I keep getting ideas and therefore further pushing back Masterpiece. Sheesh me. Anyway, this story is a Caryl AU. Carol Peletier, a widow, has a two year old daughter Sophia. She's single, and she's happy that way. But her best friend Lori thinks otherwise, and sets her up on a blind date with a man named Daryl Dixon. Will they hit it off, or will it be a total bust? Hope you guys enjoy!**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_

Chapter 1

Carol was putting away the toys on the ground, when Sophia ran out, completely naked. Carol let out a sigh. "Sophia, honey, you need to keep your clothes on." Sometimes, Sophia could be a trouble maker. She didn't like to listen, and liked to have her own way. That was one of the troubles of being a single mom. Not that she was complaining, the man she'd married was not a good father. He didn't care when Carol told him she was pregnant, and when little Sophia was born, he didn't even show up. He was out drinking. That's when she was told he'd got in an accident, and was killed at the scene.

The first few days for her were a mess. She didn't know how to feel. She'd be upset, then angry, then she didn't care. And now she was just, happy. Happy with her life, her daughter, who was her pride and joy, and her job. She was an elementary school teacher, but thankfully it was the summer now, so she was able to look after her daughter.

"No!" Sophia exclaimed, running around the living room. When Carol tried to grab her, she only squirmed and cried.

"But Sophia, Aunt Lori is going to be here soon, you need to get dressed." She picked up the screaming toddler. Sophia gave her the famous puppy eyes. Whenever she gave Carol those eyes, she'd cave. But she couldn't right now. "Come on. We'll put on your favorite dress." She tried to reason with her.

"No mommy!" She pushed against Carol's chest.

"I'll give you a cupcake if you do."

Figures that would make her stop crying. Sometimes Carol didn't have the time to deal with her daughters tantrums, so she had to resort to bribery. It worked, though. But she didn't want it to become a routine.

She carried Sophia to her room, setting her down and putting on a new diaper. She stood her up, pulling the dress overtop of her. It was a dress that her mother had gotten Sophia. She looked cute in it. It was white with a baby blue skirt. Sophia had certainly taken a liking to it. Whenever it was in the wash she'd cry about it.

"There, it's not so bad, is it?" Carol smiled, looking at her daughter. She was almost a spitting image of Carol when she was a baby. She had little strawberry blonde waves. "Let's get your pigtails, okay?" Carol grabbed two little elastics, carefully tying up her hair. "There. Now, you ready to see Aunt Lori?"

"Yeah! Aunty Lowee!" Sophia giggled, turning around so she could climb off the bed. Carol smiled. Her daughter couldn't always pronounce the 'r's in peoples names. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Mommy! Someone here!" She ran and hid behind Carol's legs.

"Alright, we'll go find out who it is." She knew it was Lori. She was right on time. Carol walked out into the living room, Sophia tailing behind her. She opened the door, and smiled. "Hey Lori." She stepped aside, letting her friend inside. Sophia ran up to Lori, arms outstretched.

"Uppy Aunty Lowee!" She squealed, and Lori picked her up.

"Hey kiddo." Lori chuckled, and looked up at Carol. "So I've got some news for you, and you better not refuse!" She walked over to sit down on the couch.

Carol went and got a juice box for Sophia, and two lemonades for her and Lori. She sat down beside her. "Oh boy, what is it this time?" The look on Lori's face said it all. "Oh no, not another blind date." Carol shook her head. "No, the last time was a disaster. He was such an asshole."

"You still married him." Lori pointed out. "Besides, Shane said he was a good guy. But I guess Shane wasn't a good guy himself..."

"A cop who went to jail. How ironic." Carol rolled her eyes. "The only nice thing he ever did for me was give me my baby." She looked over to Sophia, who was happily drinking her juice.

"Trust me Carol, this time is different." Lori pleaded with her.

"That's what they always say." Carol crossed her arms.

"Please Carol! You've been single for two years, never once went on a date. I don't understand how you can be okay with this! If I were you, I'd be dying right about now!" Lori exclaimed, shaking her head. "I know this guy, and Rick knows him too. He's a cop, just like Rick. You have to trust me on this."

"For your information, I'm perfectly happy with my single life. I don't need another blind date. I like my life how it is." Carol stated. "Besides, who-" She was cut off by her daughter.

"Look mommy!" She squealed, showing her a crayon. "It's purple! Purple mommy!" She smiled.

"Yes, honey. It's very beautiful." Carol nodded, and then looked back at Lori. "As I was saying, who would look after Sophia? Dating is hard when you have a daughter."

"I have it all figured out. I'm okay with watching Sophia for a few hours. But will you please go on this date? We have it all set up, we just need your okay."

Carol rolled her eyes, but thought it over. Did she really want the hassle of dating again? Having another man in her life? She didn't know if she wanted to go through that again. "I don't know Lori..."

"You'll never know if you don't try." She said, giving her a smile. "Just one date, and if it doesn't work, I'll stay out of your dating life forever." She nodded.

"Highly doubt that." Carol chuckled.

"Cross my heart." Lori drew a cross over her heart. "No more Lori the matchmaker."

Carol let out a defeated sigh. What could one date hurt? "Fine. You win. I'll do it. But you need to go into more detail. What is this guy like?"

"His name is Daryl Dixon. He's Rick's partner, now that Shane is gone. He can have a bit of a temper, but I am almost certain he has a soft side, just someone needs to bring it out of him. Around Rick, he's nice. He's nice to me, too. I'm sure he'll be great."

"Where is this date, anyway?" Carol looked over at Sophia, who was walking towards the wall with the crayons. "Hey, Sophia, come back here." She demanded, and Sophia frowned, but obeyed. "Color on this." She pulled a paper out of the notepad she kept on the table.

"The reservations are paid for, so don't worry about that. It's at Ol' Joeys. That restaurant on the outskirts of town. They have great food. Rick took us there on our first date." Lori smiled, remembering.

"That sounds a little fancy... Especially if this blind date goes bad." Carol frowned. "You'd have gone to all that trouble for nothing."

"But if it works out, you'll thank me. Stop being such a negative person, Carol. Look at the positive possibilities here!"

"Okay, okay." Carol picked up Sophia, placing her on her lap. "Is that all you came over for? To tell me that? Or did you actually want to hang around?" Carol asked.

"Well, if you want me to stay, I sure could go for some lunch."

"It's 3:00." Carol looked at her like she was crazy. "You should've already had lunch."

"I slept in. Rick didn't wake me up like I asked him. We were up pretty late last night doing-"

"Ah!" Carol put her hand up. "A, I don't want to hear it, at all. And B, my child is right here." She scolded her. Lori had a tendency to go into detail about her... Intimacies.

"Right, right, sorry." Lori chuckled, looking down at Sophia. "You look real pretty in that dress, buttercup." She tapped her nose, making Sophia squeal.

"What do you say, Sophia?" Carol looked down at her.

"Thanks!" Sophia exclaimed, and then looked up at Carol for comfirmation. Carol gave a small nod.

"Alright, I suppose we could have a snack. I promised Sophia a cupcake, after all." Carol stood up. "Come on." She motioned for Lori to follow her into the kitchen. She was already starting to get nervous about this blind date, and she needed a distraction.

**~The Blind Date~**

"You what?!" Daryl looked at Rick, outraged. "Rick, what the hell! What are you thinkin', settin' me up with some woman I ain't never met before?!"

"Look, Lori thinks you two will hit it off, and I have to agree. Carol is a great woman. She's kind, caring, and I bet she'll be good for you. There is... One little thing though."

"What?" He growled out. How dare they set him up. He didn't want to date anyone. He was fine with being single. After all, no one wanted a Dixon anyway. He was just scum. No one would ever want him.

"She's got a kid..."

"Oh for fuck sakes." Daryl put his face in his hands. "What else? She married too?"

"No, Daryl. Of course not. But the kids a sweetheart too, and I know that's not a problem for you. No matter how much you try to hide it, I know you love kids."

Daryl looked outraged. "I do not!" He did. He loved kids, and he'd wanted one for a while, but he didn't have a woman, and he doubted he'd ever find the right woman.

"Liar." Rick rolled his eyes. "Look, just go out with her. See how things go. And if, if, you don't like her, then you never have to see her again. Simple as that. But I'm sure you two will hit it off, or you'll at least gain a new friend. Just, go for it, alright? They don't work out, then alright, I won't set you up again. This is the first, and last time. Sheriff's honor."

"You better be right about that, Rick." Daryl huffed, running a hand over his face. "Where and when is it?"

"At Ol' Joey's, eight o'clock. Reservations are all set up and paid for. All you have to do is show up. That simple. And then, you know, pay for your food, but other than that, it's all paid for."

Daryl let out a long, angry sigh. "You're gonna pay for this someday, Rick. I swear to it."

"Sure buddy, sure." Rick patted his shoulder, and chuckled. "So you'll do it?"

"Don't got much of a choice now, do I?"

Rick smirked, and shook his head. "Nope."

**~The Blind Date~**

"Goodbye my sweet pea." Carol kissed her daughters cheek. "Momma will be back soon, okay? You be good for Aunt Lori. Promise?"

"Pwomise, mommy." Sophia nodded her head. "Bye." She waved to her mother.

"Bye. I'll be back at ten, you make sure she's in bed by then." Carol gave Lori instructions. "You have my cell if you need it. Do not hesitate to call. It'll be on at all times."

"Just get going." Lori pushed her out the door. "And good luck!" She grinned. Carol sighed, nodding, and walked over to her car. She couldn't believe she was doing this. That this was actually happening. She just hoped everything would be okay, and nothing would go wrong.

She pulled up into the parking lot, and turned off the car. Her heart was racing at this point. She was nervous, and she could feel herself beginning to sweat. "You just need to calm down." She said to herself, and got out of the car. "It'll be fine." She walked towards the door. When she opened it, she said her name, and they brought her over to an empty table. So her date wasn't here yet. Good, she had time to calm down.

Carol's eyes looked around the space. It was such a fancy place. Much too fancy for a blind date that could go so wrong. Her gaze settled to the door, and she saw a very handsome man walk in. Her eyes widened a little, and her stomach did a little flop. She couldn't recall ever seeing someone so... Attractive.

He had dark hair, that was a little longer than she thought normal. Most guys had very short hair, but not this one. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, and his beard looked wonderful on him. Usually, she hated beards, but on him, oh god.

He wore a sleeveless shirt, and it revealed his muscular arms. Her lips parted a little as she stared at them. When she finally looked up, he was coming towards her, head down, hair covering his eyes. Her heart started to beat faster, and she was certain it would explode when the man she'd been oggling sat down across from her.

Then that must mean...

This incredibly attractive man, was her blind date, Daryl Dixon.

_**A/N: Well, end of chapter one! I wrote this the fastest I have any other chapter, with very little distraction! :D Hope you enjoyed, please give it a review, or a favorite/follow if you see fit!**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Blind Date**

_**A/N: I'm glad for all the positive feedback! Keep that coming guys! :D I'm going to try and write a good chapter, but it might not be as good because there is a little asshole fly that's too quick for me to kill, and he's annoying the hell out of me. But anyway, I'll still try!**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_

Chapter 2

Carol hadn't expected such an attractive, tough looking man would be so... Shy. He kept his head down when he settled, and she could just feel an awkward air quickly surrounding them. She cleared her throat, and held out her hand for him to take. She didn't want this to be too awkward. She always hated awkward dates.

"Hi, I'm Carol Peletier." She said softly, her hand still outstretched. Carefully, and hesitantly, he took her hand and shook it. "You must be Daryl, right?" Only a small nod. "Well, it's nice to meet you." She wondered if he even talked.

"Yeah..." He voice was gruff, and it held a bit of an accent behind it. Definitely southern. She offered him a smile, hoping to bring him out of his shell a little.

Right away, a waitress walked up to them. She started off with their drink orders. Carol ordered and iced tea, while Daryl ordered a coke. After she disappeared and then came back, Carol decided to try and strike up a conversation with him.

"So you're a cop, huh? That must be exciting." She took a sip of her beverage. He looked up at her, for the first time since she'd seen him, and met her gaze.

"I guess." He gave a small shrug. "Not like much really happens around here." He murmured, drinking from his coke. She nodded, glancing down where a walkie was hooked to his jeans.

"Are you always on the job?" She asked, referring to the instrument. He glanced down, and then back at her.

"Sorta." He started to explain. "Always keep it on me, case they need emergency back up. But it's strictly for emergencies, unless I'm actually on duty." He looked down at the menu. "Uh, what about you?" Daryl didn't want to seem like an ass and only talk about himself. In fact, he preferred to listen rather than speak. "What do you do?"

Carol smiled, glad that he was finally starting to get involved in the conversation. "I'm a school teacher. Elementary. It gives me the chance to be off during the summer, and always have weekends off. Plus, the kids don't have extremely hard work to do." She laughed. "So it's easy on me."

"Don't think I could be around that many kids for that long. One or two would be fine but... Whole twenty kids? No." He shook his head. The thought freaked him out, especially because kids were so inquisitive.

"Aw, they aren't that bad." Carol laughed. "They're cute." She looked down at the menu, picking out what she wanted. "I know kids are great. My girl is just... She's everything to me." Carol sighed. "I'm sure they told you... That I had a daughter."

Daryl's response was only a nod. Rick told him, and it had made him felt a little weird, if he were honest. He didn't quite know what he was expecting. It didn't change her in any way, and he was an idiot for thinking it would.

Carol smiled a little, when the waitress came back around. Carol ordered a simple chicken salad, while Daryl ordered a burger and fries. It made Carol chuckle, to which he looked over at her and raised a brow.

"What? Somethin' wrong with me orderin' a burger?" He asked, a hint of a smile on his face.

"No, it's just, this is such a fancy place, and we could have anything we wanted really, and we choose to order the most common kind of food. It's just funny to me." She gave a small shrug, her smile widening into a grin.

"Guess we're just simple people." Daryl handed the menu's off to the waitress. "Ain't nothin' wrong with that."

"No, I suppose not." Carol agreed. So far, it wasn't going as bad as she had thought it would.

**~The Blind Date~**

Carol was laughing hard at this point. The longer the date went on, the more easy things became. And now they were both laughing, although she was probably laughing a little too hard, because she ended up snorting. She covered her face, feeling it flame with embarrassment. It only caused him to laugh more, furthering her embarrassment, but she was still giggling.

She peeked over her hands, looking up at him. "I can't believe I did that." She said, her speech a little muffled from her hands.

"Don't worry about it." Daryl chuckled, shaking his head. He finally managed to calm down, but he was still giving her a crooked grin. "But I wasn't lyin' about that."

"I still find it hard to believe." Carol chuckled. "That must have been so awkward for you two."

"Tell me about it! I hate when we have to do those house searches, lookin' for suspects. Cause we find the weirdest shit. But walkin' in on... No." He shook his head, cringing a little.

"At least those old people still loved each other." She giggled.

"Trust me, if you saw it, it wouldn't be considered cute like you think."

"I didn't say it was." Carol rolled her eyes. "Nevermind." She looked around the restaurant. It seemed there was barely any people there. "Wow... Hey, what time is it?" She asked, looking over at Daryl.

"Uh..." He pulled out his phone. "Almost 11:00." His eyes widened a little.

"Oh my god!" Carol quickly stood up. "It's way later than I thought!" She had to get home to relieve Lori of babysitting duty.

Daryl stood up too, nodding his head. "I have work early in the mornin'. Didn't even realize. Sorry."

"It's not your fault." Carol shook her head. She reached into her purse, getting out some money to pay for dinner.

"Wait, what are you doin'?" He asked, looking at the cash.

"Paying for my half." She said, looking up at him.

"No, you don't gotta do that. You go on home, I'll pay for it." Daryl said. "You got a girl to look after."

Carol felt terrible about letting him pay for it all, but she really did have to get home. "Thank you." She smiled. "I'm really sorry, but I really did have a great time. I'll see you around I hope." She quickly started making her way to the exit.

"See you." Daryl called to her, which she just waved back.

**~The Blind Date~**

Lori grinned when Carol walked in the door. "Well, look who's finally home." She walked over to her. "You guys get caught up making out or something?" She nudged Carol with her shoulder.

"What? No! Of course not." Carol set her purse down on the counter. "I'd never do that on a first date. Especially a blind date." She sighed. "Was Sophia good? She didn't fuss or anything did she? And she didn't get sick, right?"

"Calm down, she was completely fine." Lori assured her. "Now, before I go home, you need to tell me all the details." She was dragging Carol over to the couch. "It went good, I'm guessing. Since you're so late."

"Yes, it was fine." Carol sat down on the couch. "It started off really awkward. He was so shy. I didn't think he'd be like that."

"What about his looks. Is he cute? Do you think he's cute?" Lori looked at Carol with big eyes. "And do you think you'd want to date him? You know, actually have a relationship? Because if so, I'm going to be so happy."

"I don't know about that." Carol let out a breath. "I'd like to see him again, yeah. We had fun. And yes, he's very handsome. And he's kind. He may seem a little rough around the edges but, he really is a good guy." She smiled, putting her feet up on the table. "I just don't know about a whole relationship. We'd have to go out a few more times before I considered that. After all, we're not teenagers. Where one date means you're going out and are together." She chuckled.

"True." Lori nodded her head. "But it's a possibility, right?" She looked hopeful. Carol only shrugged. "You're so hard to please sometimes." Lori scoffed. "Well, I guess I'll get going. You call me if you need me to babysit again. You know, if you go out on another date with Daryl." She winked.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Carol smiled, giving a roll of her eyes. "Thanks for babysitting." She stood up, going to get her purse. "How much do you want for it?"

"Forty grand." Lori stated.

"Ha ha." Carol gave her a look, and Lori laughed.

"I don't need any money, Carol. I like watching her. She's adorable." Lori patted her shoulder. "I'll talk to you soon. You get some rest. I have a feeling she'll be up really early."

"Alright. Thanks again." Carol gave her friend a hug, and waved goodbye to her as she walked down the driveway. Carol quickly shut and locked the door. She was pretty beat, but she needed to shower first. She could never get a shower in when Sophia was awake after all. So, it was to the shower, and then right to bed.

**~The Blind Date~**

"Sophia, please." Carol sighed heavily. Sophia was crying, because Carol wouldn't let her have the chocolate she wanted. "We're in the store, please stop crying." She pleaded with her child. She didn't want to teach Sophia that crying and throwing a fit would get her everything she wanted.

She reached into her purse, and pulled out Sophia's doll. "Look baby, it's Dolly. Play with her." She handed it to Sophia. She was still crying as she clutched the doll. "Please." Carol begged, looking down at Sophia, when her cart collided with another. "Oh my god I'm so sorry!" Carol looked up, her eyes meeting the wonderful dark shade of blue she remembered from a week ago.

"Carol?" Daryl asked her, tilting his head a little. Carol smiled, nodding. "Wow, you look like you're havin' some trouble there." He chuckled, looking down at Sophia.

"Yeah... I wouldn't let her have the chocolate, and now she won't stop crying." She sighed, picking her up out of the cart. "Baby please." She cooed, bouncing her gently. "We're in public, and you're starting to cause a scene."

"But mommy I want chocolate!" Sophia wailed, squirming to get out of Carol's arms.

"This is what I deal with on a daily basis." Carol chuckled. She'd already had a long day, and it was only 4:00 in the afternoon. Sophia hadn't been in the best of moods at all today. "I really don't know what to do with her."

Daryl walked over to Carol's side, looking down at the baby. As soon as she caught sight of Daryl, she stopped, staring at him and wiping her eyes. After staring for a few moments, she curled into Carol's side, hiding her face in her chest.

"Whoops." Daryl chuckled, moving away. "Didn't mean to uh, scare the little thing."

Carol raised a brow at his use of 'thing'. "Better than her crying, I suppose." She rubbed Sophia's back softly. "Are you gonna behave now sweetheart?" She asked softly, kissing the top of her head.

Daryl smiled a little as he watched Carol interact with her daughter. She seemed like such a good mom, and really caring too. He'd never experienced that as a child, so it was nice to see that not all mothers were like that.

"If you don't mind me askin', where is her father?" He said quietly. "Rick said you wasn't married, so..."

Carol looked up at Daryl, and offered a small smile. "It's fine. He died in an accident on the day Sophia was born..." She said softly.

"Oh, god, I'm real sorry." Now he just felt like a dick for bringing something so tragic up. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's no problem, trust me. I'm not upset." Carol sighed. "I'd rather raise Sophia on my own than have him here." She carefully set Sophia down in the cart. "Anyway, I really have to get my shopping done, and get this little one home to eat and get to bed."

"Oh, yeah, course." Daryl nodded quickly. He could sense that there was pain in the subject, and he'd just forced her away, which he honestly hadn't meant to do, he was just curious.

But as she was walking away, he remembered something. "Oh, Carol!" He jogged up to her. "Do you uh... Think I could have your number maybe?" He rubbed the back of his neck.

Carol smiled at him, and gave a small nod. "Sure. Can I see your phone?" She asked, and he handed it over. She quickly programmed herself into his contacts. "I'll see you around, Daryl." She placed a hand on his arm, and then walked off, Sophia peering around her mother to stare him down as they disappeared into the crowd of the other shoppers.

_**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the update! I'm trying to pull an all nighter here, so I might end up writing another one shortly. Who knows haha. Please give it a review if you like!**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Blind Date**

_**A/N: Oh hey guess who's back after like, an hour. But by the time it's posted it'll probably have been 2 or 3 hours. But yay updating again.**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_

Chapter 3

"Mommy, what are you doing?" Sophia asked, pulling at her mothers sleeve. Carol was laying on the couch, smiling like an idiot as she stared at her phone. She'd gotten a text from Daryl an hour ago, and ever since then, she'd been texting with him. She kept an eye on Sophia, of course, but Sophia was mainly doing her own thing, playing with different toys in the basket.

"I'm talking to a friend, Sophia." Carol looked over at her daughter. Sophia looked confused, reaching for the phone.

"I want kitty." She said, tugging the phone from Carol's grip. Sophia was smart, and pretty much knew how to work Carol's phone. She'd taken pictures of herself before, and numerous times got onto the talking tom app, which she called kitty.

Carol sighed, sitting up and pulling Sophia onto her lap. She listened and watched as her daughter talked into the phone, hearing it repeated to her. At least it made her laugh.

She saw the little tile appear at the top, saying she had a new text from Daryl. She bit her lip, wanting desperately to read it. But if she took it from Sophia, it would not end well.

_I'm acting like a teenager,_ Carol thought to herself. She let her head rest on the back of the couch. Sophia should get bored of the kitty app soon enough, and go back to doing something else. Suddenly her daughter squealed, making Carol jump.

"Look mommy!" She tossed the phone on the couch, running over to the window. "It's a puppy!" She pointed, and pressed her face to the glass. "Hi puppy!" She shouted. Carol got up to look out the window as well. She frowned, seeing the dog was not on a leash, but was on its own. But the dog looked very familiar to her.

"That looks like the dog from a few houses down. Jack." She examined the white bulldog. It was a friendly dog, and whenever Sophia played outside and neighbors were walking it, it would come to greet her. "Come on Sophia." She said, motioning for her daughter to follow.

When they went outside, the dog ran up to them, quickly sniffing at Sophia. She was scared at first, backing away quickly, until the dog sat down in front of her, panting away. Then she warmed up to him, petting him and hugging him. Carol went to the end of the driveway, seeing the owner looking around.

"Hey, T!" She called out, waving him over. He came jogging over, and she smiled. "Lose someone?" She pointed to the dog, who was now recieving a belly rub from Sophia.

"You found him." T-Dog sighed in relief. "Me and the Mrs were getting worried." He smiled, and knelt down on the ground. "Here boy!" He called, and the dog scrambled to it's feet, running over. He clicked on the leash. "Son of a gun got away when we went out to get the mail. He may be a little tubby, but he's fast."

Carol nodded, leaning over to pet the dog. "Sophia's the one who spotted him."

"Well thank you, honey." T-Dog looked down at Sophia.

"Welcome." She said, looking up at him with a big smile. She moved closer, so she could pet the dog again.

"You know, Jacqui just got finished making a nice batch of cookies. Maybe I could treat you two to some, for making sure this guy didn't run too far."

"Would you like that, Sophia?" Carol asked, looking down at her daughter.

"Cookies!" She squealed, and raised her arms. "Uppy!"

Carol picked her up, and balanced her on her hip. "You're not a light baby, are you? You're getting too heavy for mommy." She chuckled. "We'll be over in a bit, I just gotta get my phone, and lock the door."

"Alright, we'll see you in a few." T-Dog tugged on the leash, bringing the dog with him as they walked back to their house.

**~The Blind Date~**

"Don't you look happy." Jacqui sat across from Carol at the table, smiling. "I haven't seen you take your eyes off your phone since you got here."

Carol blushed, looking away shyly. "Yeah, I guess..."

"You got a special someone on the other end of that phone, hm?" Jacqui raised an eyebrow, her smile widening.

"I don't know." Carol chuckled a little. "I mean, we've been on one date. That was two weeks ago. But he texted me today and... I just can't stop smiling." She looked back down at her phone, her blush spreading on her face.

"Uh oh, what did he say to make you turn all red?" Jacqui laughed.

"He said he thinks I'm pretty..." She giggled, biting her lip as she texted him back. "He was really shy on our date, but I got him to open up. And over the phone, we're both a lot more bold, I think. We talk more freely. But in person, I'm sure we would be shy again."

"Young love at it's finest." Jacqui nodded her head, ruffling Sophia's hair as she walked by with another cookie. "Theodore, you're not giving her all those cookies, are you?"

There was a moment of guilty silence before he responded. "No."

Carol laughed, shaking her head. "I appreciate you letting her have some of your delicious baked goods. Lord knows I love them." She smiled.

"Well thank you, sweetheart." Jacqui leaned back against the chair. "So, has he asked you out again?"

"No." Carol shook her head. She looked down at her phone as it started vibrating. "Oh, hold on. Can you watch Sophia, I gotta take this." She stood up, walking outside before answering the call. "Hello?" You could hear the smile she had on her face.

"Hey." Daryl's voice came over the phone. "I didn't want to ask you over texting but uh... Do you maybe want to go out for a movie or something?"

"Oh, yeah." Carol nodded. "That sounds awesome. When were you thinking? So I can get a babysitter for Sophia."

"I'd been thinking tonight but, if that's too soon I understand." She could hear how nervous he was.

"No, I can see if I can leave her with the neighbors." Carol said softly. "What movie were you thinking?"

"I don't... Really know." He chuckled. "Figured we could just figure it out when we got there."

"Sure." Carol smiled, twirling her hair around her finger. "I'd love to. Do you wanna meet there?"

"I can pick you up." Daryl said quickly, causing Carol to giggle. "I-I mean... I-If you wanted... N'Stuff..."

"I'd like that. My house is 215, 2nd. By the school." She gave him the information.

"Okay, I'll pick you up in an hour." She could tell he was still nervous.

"Okay, see you then. Bye bye." She hung up the phone. Now she was getting nervous. Her stomach had butterflies, and she hurried back into the house. "Jacqui, do you think you could watch Sophia tonight? Until I get home from the movies? Daryl asked me out again..." Her cheeks turned a light shade of red.

Jacqui laughed, but gave a small nod. "Of course, its not trouble honey. I suppose you want to go get ready, right?" Carol nodded. "Well it's okay with me."

"Thank you so much." Carol took out twenty dollars from her purse. "Here." She put it on the table. "For watching her, and for the extra cookies Sophia ate." She smiled, going to Sophia who was with the dog. "Sophia honey, mommy is gonna leave you here for a while. Can you be good?"

"Yes." Sophia pet the dog and giggled.

"Give me a kiss." Carol opened her arms, and the dog jumped up to her, licking her face. "No, not you Jack!" She laughed, pushing him away. Sophia was on her back, laughing away. Then Jack went to her, and she squealed. "Okay, I'll see you Sophia." She chuckled, patting her little stomach.

"Bye bye mommy!" She sat up and waved at her.

"Love you." Carol called to her, slipping her shoes on.

"Love you!" She smiled big.

**~The Blind Date~**

Carol had been trying to figure out what to do with her hair for about half an hour now. She could leave it down, or she could straighten it and then do big curls at the ends. Or she could put it in a bun. She didn't know what to do.

After a few more minutes of thinking of different ways, she just decided to put in a simple red hair band. That way it was still down, but it wasn't in her face. She touched up her make up, and hurried into her bedroom. It was only a movie date, but she felt the need to put something a little more fancy on.

There was a casual red dress she'd been dying to wear, so she decided on that. She examined herself in the full length mirror, and figured she looked good enough. Grabbing her purse, she went to look out the window, and saw his truck pull up. She sucked in a breath, and saw him get out of the car.

Carol quickly slipped on her shoes, when he knocked on the door. She opened it up and smiled. "Hi there." She chuckled.

"Hey." Daryl shifted his feet, and handed her a rose. "I uh... Thought you'd like that."

Carol's smile brightened, and she felt herself blushing. "Thank you." She said softly, turning to get a vase to put it in. "It's beautiful."

"S-So are you..." He stuttered. Carol turned back to look at him. He was being so sweet, for a second date. And her heart swelled. At the same time, the butterflies grew.

"Well, let's get going before we miss our chance." She walked up to him. Daryl nodded, leading her out to his truck. He opened the door for her, and helped her up inside.

"Sorry I don't got no... Fancy car or nothin'."

"Don't worry about it. If I cared what kind of car a man drove, I'd just be a total bitch." Carol admitted, looking out the window. "I'm not that kind of person. Trust me."

"Glad to hear that." Daryl chuckled a little, turning up the radio station. The song Escape was playing, and he hummed along to it.

"Aw, I love this song." Carol said softly, waiting for the chorus to come on before she started singing. "If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain."

Daryl looked over at her with a bit of a shocked expression. He had no idea she could sing, and so well at that.

"If you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape, then I'm the love that you've looked for, write with me and escape." She then looked over at him, noticing he was staring at her. Her entire face flushed red. "Sorry... I didn't mean to start singing." She looked out the window.

"No, no, don't be sorry. Was pretty good. You got a nice voice." He reassured her. "I don't lie." He offered her a small smile, and pulled up into the theatre parking lot. "Alright, those are the movies playin'."

Carol looked up at the board on the side of the building. "Oh, look, there's a romance movie." She smiled brightly. "We could go see it." She looked back at him, hopeful.

"Uh... Okay..." He didn't want to see a romance movie, especially one that was likely a chick flick, but he wanted her to be happy. "Let's go then." He turned off the truck, and hopped out, hurrying around to take her hand and help her out.

"Thank you." Carol smiled, looking up at him. "I can't wait. It's going to be so fun." She started walking over to the doors, Daryl practically scrambling after her.

**~The Blind Date~**

Carol sighed happily when they walked out of the theatre. "That was beautiful." She smiled brightly. "I just love romance. Novels, movies, romance on shows. I just love it." She looked at him. "Didn't you just love it?"

"Sure." Daryl nodded his head. Although, it wasn't his first choice at all. But he'd tolerate it to make her happy. "You wanna go grab some ice cream or somethin' before I take you home?"

"You really want to?" She asked him. "Cause you don't have to."

"Offered, didn't I?" He gave her a small smile. "I want to. Now hop in." He opened the truck door for her.

"I can open doors, Daryl." She laughed, but regardless, let him do it.

"I know, but it's the gentleman thing to do." Daryl got in the truck. "I read up on these things, you know." He teased.

Carol just laughed again. "Seriously?"

"Course not." Daryl rolled his eyes with a smile. "I know how to be nice when I want to."

"I thought you were a big meanie." Carol looked over at him with a smirk.

"Guess you're an exception, aren't you?" Daryl nudged her as he pulled out onto the road. Carol blushed again, looking down with a smile. She realized she blushed a lot when it came to him.

**~The Blind Date~**

"Drop me off here." Carol said, pointing at the house where Sophia was staying. "I have to pick up Sophia. She's probably cranky by now. It's past her bed time." Carol sighed as he pulled up in front of the house. "But, thank you. For taking me to the movies, and for ice cream after. It was yummy."

"Ain't no problem." Daryl shook his head. "We should... Hang out again sometime soon, if you're not busy." Daryl rubbed the back of his neck. "Had fun tonight."

"So did I." She leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thanks." She scooted over and opened the door, hopping out. "Just, call or text me." She nodded, and then closed the door. She waved to him, before disappearing into the house. As he drove away, he found himself grinning.

_She's a keeper,_ he thought to himself. He definitely wasn't about let her slip through his fingers.

_**A/N: I got more distracted during this one, I'm sorry. Blame Mike Vogel for that. Anyway, hope you liked this one. :) Review please, they feed my want to write! Haha.**_

_**McBrideReedusLover.~**_


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